


The Mongrel and The Dove

by ToastedRoach



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Anal Sex, Cooking, Eventual Romance, Food, Friendship, Healing, Kissing, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Past Slavery, Slow Burn, Teasing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 20:24:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20476964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToastedRoach/pseuds/ToastedRoach
Summary: Connor is a small time gangster from The Hub, now on the run after a failed heist and betrayed by his partner in crime. He finds his way to New Vegas and the borders of Legion territory, hunting and scavenging. On one of his trips he runs into a young boy named Leelee, skilled in many things Connor knows nothing about. After a few awkward beginner's mistakes they learn to depend on each other and eventually become lovers.--This is something I've planned for over a year but never had a good chance to start. It's a multi-chapter thing and everyone knows I'm bad at updating, so don't expect miracles. :'( This is my first try in writing something without violence and abuse. There will be a few canon-typical descriptions of war and one fist fight between Connor and his old friend Jake but that's about it.





	The Mongrel and The Dove

Their first meeting could have been a nicer one. But they were still alive, and that's what counts, right? It had been a while since Connor had met someone even remotely friendly. He'd spent a full year running away, covering his tracks, too busy to think about future. Too busy to mourn. He'd come far to the eastern front, hunting and living from scraps while avoiding both Legion and the NCR. He knew these hills and he knew Legion snipers sometimes sat up there looking for NCR caravans. And then he saw this kid, standing in the open right in front of a sniper's nest, oblivious to the glint of the scope other side of the valley. Was he suicidal?

Connor had watched a while, listened to the words the boy spoke. Some old tribal language. Maybe it was a prayer? He was carrying a trapper's pouch, a few furs. A hunting knife in one fur boot. He must've lived nearby although Connor had not seen any villages. He knew the shot would come, and risking his own cover he moved out, pushed the kid off the ledge and jumped after him, deafened by the boom that echoed in the valley long after.

Everyone hunting here knew these hills were a warzone. After dragging the unconscious boy to his camp he removed the cactus thorns and bandaged the wounds caused by the bigger ones. The valley grew thick with prickly pear, with some hidden barrel cacti beneath. Old, huge plants that provided good cover from the sniper. Damn kid.

He had finally woken up an hour ago. Connor shared his meat and water, keeping the warm beer to himself. The boy didn't look old enough to even be hunting alone. He took the meat, hesitantly, and sniffed it.

“Did you cook this with the skin?” He asked warily. The question baffled Connor. Of course he cooked it with the skin, who didn't? First you'd turn it in the flames to burn off the fur, and then let it get charred over, and then remove the skin. The meat was tender and nice, cooked right through. His family had cooked gecko like this. Whole ones too. Anything smaller was just easier to prepare.

“And...you don't mind the taste at all?” Those big brown eyes stared at him like he had committed a crime.

“It tastes like meat to me. Nice and filling.”

“The skin has oil glands. Predators avoid their nests cause they stink. You gotta skin them first or the stink will go straight into the meat. You got anything else? Bread? Tatos?”

Connor had apples. The strange boy ate those, drank a few mouthfuls of dirty water and went back to sleep. A moment passed and his eyes opened again.

“How'd you know about the sniper?”

“I've been hunting here for weeks. Usually they leave people like me alone. And never heard of them taking potshots on kids either.” That was weird, but a lot of weird things happened all around the place. With the war between NCR and the Legion many roads had become unsafe and entire regions had been infested with landmines. People's hearts grew cold. Children abandoned their families to join whatever group they thought was right, homesteads and villages were wiped out in a savage way. “Where did you come from, anyway? I've not seen you around before.”

The boy looked at his bandaged hands. “Been here since last night or so. Stayed in a cave not far from where we met. All my stuff is there. I was looking to prepare some furs for sale. The ones I caught today must be in that cacti field. I'll go look tomorrow. Not much to catch here...maybe further east...”

“And your family?”

“Ah. I'm alone now. I wander.” The smile was sad and Connor dropped the topic. He had seen this happen too many times. At least this kid knew how to take care of himself...somewhat.

“Well, that is kind of my fault so how about I come with you tomorrow? I'll help you avoid getting shot and you'll be on your way sooner than you think.”

This earned a happier smile. “Thanks for saving me, I guess. What's your name? I'm Leelee.”


End file.
